Display container



Feb. 28, 1928.

1,660,876 A. M DOUGALL DISPLAY CONTAINER Filed Jan. 21, 1927 Patented Feb. 28, 1928.

UNITED STA "res ALEXANDER MAcDoUeALt, or BAKER, OREGON.

DISPLAY CONTAINER.

Application filed January 21, 1927. Serial No. 162,575.

The present invention relates to display containers and has for its main object the provision of means for supportingin bulk at various levels above the bottom of the container goods that areisold from the container so that as such goods are diminished through sales the remaining goods will at all times appear fresh and presentable.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a movable support of improved constructionadapted to be lifted from the bottom of the container toward the top thereof as the goods are sold and provided with a resilient rimportion for'cooperating with the container sides.

Another object of the invention is the pro vision of retaining studs adapted to be socured to the exterior of the container near the bottom thereof whereby the movable support may be raised with increased ease, the container being held down through the medium of the studs. 1

A further object of the invention is the provision of a container of improved construction having .studs pivotally secured within the walls of the container for supporting the movable support'or follower at various levels in the container.

These and other objects of the invention, which might hereinafter appear, are at: tained in the embodiment of the invention hereinafter disclosed, reference being bad to the following description and tothe accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view through the receptacle having the present invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly broken away, of the improved follower;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig.2;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the retaining stud applied to the container; and

Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of the pivoted arm for supporting the follower.

Referringt-o the drawings in detail, the container may be a pail havlng sloping side walls 12 and a bottom 11.

The follower 13 constructed according to the present invention is positioned within the container 10 above the bottom 11 and is adapted to be supported therein at various levels above the bottom by the supporting means which will be later described. The

follower 13 comprises a comparatively rigid portion 15 of heavycard-board or any other suitable materiahsuch as wood or metal, and a resilient rim portion 16.. v

The resilient rim portion comprises pref. erably one or more portions 17' and 18in superimposed relation, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Each rim portion 17 or 18 has an mner continuous portion 19, 20, respectively, and an outer radially slit portion 21, 22, respectively. The inner continuous portions 19 and20 of the resilient rim portionsli' and '18 are securedto the central rigid portion 15 preferably near the periphery thereof, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3. As shown more clearly by Fig. 2, the outer rim portions 21 and 22 are radially slit so that those portions comprise a plurality of radial segments 23 and 24, respectively,,in overlapping relation. When in osition in the receptacle 10, the follower is isposed as shown in Fig. 1," the resilient rim portion thereof extending upwardly in close contiguous relation to the inner walls of the container. It will be noted that thisfollower having the resilient rim is of great advan ta'ge in connection with'a container having slanting walls for the rim portion will be in engagement with the walls whether the follower is disposed at the bottom or at the top of the container.

The supports for the follower 13 will now be described. These supports comprise standards 25 received Within grooves 10 in the walls of the container 10. Fingers 26 are pivot-ally secured to the standards 25 and are supported in horizontal position by standard portions 27. The standards 25 are circumferentially spaced in the walls of the container 10, as shown by Fig. 1, and each standard has a plurality of longitudinally spaced fingers 26 which cooperate with the fingers of the other standards to form a plurality of shelves for the follower 13, the latter being provided with a ribbon 14 whereby it can be raised to successive positions toward the top of the container as desired.

Two or more retaining studs 28 are Socured externally of the container 10 near the bottom thereof so that the container may be conveniently held down while the follower 13 is being raised therein. may be secured by staples 29, as shown more clearly by Fig. 4. Normally these studs 29 are arranged in contiguous relation to the walls of the container but when their use is desired, they may be brought into the posi tion shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. It is then possible to stand on the studs to hold the container from movement while the follower is raised. I

In view of the present disclosure, it is apparent that the follower member is of exceedingly simple construction and advantas geous in use. While the preferred embodiment of the invention is shown herein, it is apparent that certain changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A follower for use in a display con tainer or the like, comprising a rigid central portion, and a resilient rim portion comprising a peripheral portion having slits radially disposed to form radial segments.

2. A follower for use in a display container or the like, comprising a rigid central portion, and a resilient rim portion comprising a peripheral portion having radial slits and an inner portion secured to said rigid central portion.

3. A follower for use in a display container or the like, comprising a central rigid portion, and a resilient rim portion com prising a plurality of superimposed peripheral portions having slits forming radial segments in each peripheral portion, the segments of said superimposed portions being in overlapping relation.

4:. A display container having a follower therein and means for raising said follower tova ious positions above the bottom of the container, said follower comprising a central rigid portion constituting a support for in various positions above the bottom of the container on said fingers and having a resilient rim directly engaging the inner walls of the container for closing the peripheral space between the follower and the container walls.

6. A display container having a follower therein, means for raising the follower above the bottom of the container, and means to permit the container to be held down while the follower is raisedcomprising a plurality of U-shaped members having lateral eXtensions and staples embracing said lateral extensions secured to the external walls of the container whereby to secure said U-shaped members in pivotal relation to the container walls. i

7. A display container having tapered walls, a followertherein, means for raising said follower to various positions above the bottom of thecontainer, means for supporting said follower in each of several positions above the container bottom, said follower comprising a rigid central portion spaced from the container walls, and a resilient rim portion secured to said central portion for closing the space between said central portion and said container walls in all positions of said follower in the container.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aifix my signature. 7

ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL. 

